Automatic brake



May 5 1942, A. H. CHASE EIAL.

AUTOMATIC BRAKE Filed Dec. 22, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2!.

May 5, 1942. A. H. CHASE ETAL AUTOMATIC BRAKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 22, 1938 fzvenm: ifimJK Ck/azre Patented May 5, 1942 UNITED STATES FFICE AUTOMATIC BRAKE Arthur H. Chase and John J. Talcott, Washington, D. 0.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 6 Claims.

This invention relates to means for utilizing the pressure of a propulsive medium in a torpedo tube mounted to be trained in azimuth to prevent rotation of such tube due to torque set up when a torpedo is fired, and more particularly to such mechanism when applied to a multiple torpedo tube assembly. It is to be understood, however, that our invention may be usefully applied to devices other than torpedo tubes where a like set of conditions is encountered.

It is one of the objects of this invention to prevent rotation of a multiple torpedo tube mount by torque developed when a torpedo is fired.

It is a further object of this invention to provide automatic braking means that is responsive to and actuated by the pressure in the torpedo tube applied to propel the torpedo.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide automatic braking means as aforesaid that leaves the mount free to be trained in azimuth but that will instantly and automatically lock the amount against rotation when a torpedo is discharged.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation View of our invention as applied to a multiple torpedo tube mount;

Fig. 2 is a detailed view of the mechanism for training the mount;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the brake cylinder on the line 33, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detailed view, with parts in section, through the brake mechanism on the line 4--4, Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the brake mechanism on the line 55, Fig. 4.

It is well known that where a number of torpedo tubes are mounted side by side upon a common rotatable support that the discharge of a torpedo sets up a torque that tends to rotate the support. If such tendency to rotate is not overcome, the position of the torpedo tube is changed and the torpedo will not be discharged toward the target. It is apparent that any means employed to prevent such undesired rotation of the torpedo tube should leave the tube free to be trained upon a target but should act instantaneously when the torpedo is fired. The present invention provides mechanism for utilizing a portion of the propulsive medium used to expel the torpedo from the tube to set a brake that will hold the tube against displacement from the desired position.

The embodiment of our invention depicted in Fig. 1 is applied to a torpedo tube mount having four tubes 6 each of which is provided with firing mechanism 1, which may be a supply of compressed air, a powder charge, or any other means for applying the necessary pressure in the tubes 6 to expel the torpedo 8. An impulse pipe 9 is respectively connected with the interior of each of the tubes 6 adjacent the firing mechanism 1 and is connected through a check valve ID to a common pipe II, the check valve In permitting the pressure in the pipe 9 to be delivered to pipe II but preventing the pressure from any one pipe 9 acting backwardly into any other pipe 9.

Pipe II is connected into a brake cylinder l2 wherein is slidably disposed the piston I3 having a stem N that extends into a hollow sleeve IS. The sleeve I5 is provided with a toothed rack l6 and with lugs ll that slide in a guide 18 to prevent rotation of sleeve [5 while permitting free sliding movement thereof. A spring I9 is disposed between piston l3 and a head 20 on sleeve I5 to transmit to the sleeve the force applied to piston 13 but that will yield to permit continued outward movement of piston I3 after sleeve 15 has reached its limit ofmotion against adjustable stop 2l. The vent hole 22 is provided to permit escape of the gas from cylinder l2 after the brake has been applied and the need for holding the torpedo tube mount against rotation has ceased. Adjustable stop 23 prevents piston l3 from moving back to seal ofi the opening through which the pressure is applied from pipe II.

The torpedo tube mount is turned by means of a worm gear 24 fixed thereon and meshed with worm 25 on shaft 26, the shaft 26 being turned by a training hand wheel 21 or by a power device as desired.

Shaft 26 is prolonged, as shown in Fig. 4, and has fixed thereon a brake drum 2'! around which is disposed a contractible brake band 28 that may be contracted into frictional engagement with drum 21. As seen in Fig. 5, brake band 28 has two ears 29 and 30, the former of which is engaged by the end of a screw 3! threaded in fixed member 32 and rotatable by brake hand wheel 33 to lock the torpedo tube mount when not actually in use, while ear is engaged by the end of a steep-pitch screw 34 upon which is keyed a gear segment 35 that meshes with rack It.

It is apparent that when a torpedo is fired a portion of the propulsive medium will be transmitted through pipes 9 and H and will move piston l3 outwardly in cylinder l2. The movement of piston I3 is transmitted to sleeve l5 by spring I!) and, through rack l6, rotates gear segment 35. Rotation of gear segment 35 is imparted to screw 34 which, due to the steep pitch of its threads, moves longitudinally a considerable distance when the screw is rotated through a small arc and acts upon ear 30 to contract brake band 28 upon brake drum 2'! and thus effectively lock shaft 26 against rotation. It is obvious that when shaft 23 is held that the mount upon which worm gear 24 is fixed is likewise compelled to remain stationary. After the pressure medium has been bled from cylinder l2 through vent 22 spring 35 returns sleeve iii and piston I3 to their initial positions and, through rack I6 and gear segment 35 with screw 34 from engagement with car 30 on brake band 28.

This invention may be manufactured and/or used by the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon orth'erefor.

We claim:

1. The combination with multiple torpedo tubes mounted to be rotatable about a common axis and means to convey propulsive fluid under pressure to each said tube, of means including a shaft-for rotating said tubes, a brake drum on said shaft, acontractible brake band around said drum, a steep-pitch screw disposed to bear against said band to contract said band when said screw is rotated, a gear segment fixed on said screw, a hollow sleeve provided with a toothed rack meshed with said segment, a cylinder, a piston slidable in said cylinder having a stem extending into said sleeve, guide means in which said sleeve is slidable mounted, and means to apply to said piston pressure from any of said tubes.

2. The combination with multiple torpedo tubes mounted to be rotatable about a common axis and means to convey propulsive fluid under pressure to each said tube, of means including a shaft for rotating said tubes, a brake drum on said shaft, a contractible brake band around said drum, a steep-pitch screw disposed to bear against said band to contract said band when. said screw is rotated, a gear segment fixed on said screw, a rack meshed with said segment, a cylinder, a piston slidably mounted in said cylinder, means including a resilient member to transmit force from said piston to said rack, and means to apply to said piston pressure from any of said tubes.

3. The combination with multiple torpedo tubes mounted to be rotatable about a common axis and means to convey propulsive fluid under pressure to each said tube, of means including a shaft for rotating said tubes, a brake drum on said shaft, a contractible brake band around said drum, a cylinder, a piston slida'ble in said cylinder, means to apply to said piston pressure from any of said tubes to move said piston outwardly in said cylinder, and means to apply movement of said piston to contract said band upon said drum.

4. The combination with multiple torpedo tubes mounted to be rotatable about a common axis and means to convey propulsive fluid under pressure to each said tube, of means including a shaft for rotating said tubes, braking means 0perable to prevent rotation of said shaft, and means including a piston and a cylinder in which said piston is slidable connected to be operable by pressure from any of said tubes to operate said braking means to prevent rotation of said shaft.

5. Mechanism of the class described, comprising a hollow member, means to apply increased pressure in said member, a rotatable support for said member, means including a shaft to rotate said support, a braking element fixed on said shaft, a contractible friction member disposed to be brought into frictional engagement with said element, means to contract said friction member, and means connected to the interior of said hollow member to apply said increased pressure therein to actuate said contracting means.

6. Mechanism of the class described, comprising a hollow member, means to apply increased pressure in said member, a rotatable support for said member, means including a shaft to rotate said support, a braking element fixed on said shaft, a coasting bra-king element constituted and disposed to cooperate with said braking element to prevent rotation of said shaft, and means responsive to and actuated by said increased pressure to cause said coacting element to cooperate with said braking element to prevent rotation of said shaft.

ARTHUR H. CHASE. JOHN J. TALCOT'I. 

